The present invention relates to a latching mechanism for a top of a vehicle, especially of a passenger motor vehicle, which is tightened against a fixed body, whereby the latching mechanism includes a support bracket arranged on the side of the top and having an operating lever supported about a first transverse shaft as well as a pivotal latching member that cooperates with a receiving means on the body side.
In a known latching mechanism of the aforementioned type operating according to the knee-lever principle (DE-PS 19 25 227), a hook-shaped receiving means is provided at the bottom side of the windshield frame, in which is suspended a bow-shaped latching member, whereby by pivoting the operating lever, the top is tightened against the windshield frame. This arrangement entails the disadvantage that the closing, respectively, disengaging of the latching mechanism is complicated and requires several manipulations because prior to the actuation of the operating lever, the latching member has to be connected by hand with the receiving means, respectively, again has to be separated therefrom by hand.
It is the object of the present invention to provide in a latching mechanism for a top such measures that with good functioning the operation of the latching mechanism is simplified.
The underlying problems are solved according to the present invention in that the operating lever is connected with the latching member by way of at least one guide lever and the latching member cooperates by way of a positive control with the support bracket, respectively, the receiving means in such a manner that during the pivoting of the operating lever into its raised closing position, a defined upward movement of the latching member toward the receiving means takes place and a subsequent tightening movement of the latching member inside of the receiving means follows.
The principal advantages achieved with the present invention reside in that the operating comfort of the latching mechanism is considerably improved by the guide lever and the positive control of the latching member because only the operating lever has to be pivoted so that a one-handed operation of the latching mechanism becomes possible. The latching member carries out a defined forced movement during the pivoting of the operating lever in such a manner that the latching member in a first phase is moved up automatically toward the receiving means and engages into the same before, in a second step, a tightening of the latching member takes place in the longitudinal direction. During the further pivoting of the operating lever, the top is automatically pulled down into its closing position by the latching lug which beginning with a predetermined pivot angle of the operating lever comes into abutment at the bottom side of the windshield frame. The defined movement of the latching member is assured by the shape of the guide track on the side of the support bracket and the longitudinally displaceable bearing support of the latching member at the support bracket. The spring-loaded detent pawl supported at the operating lever assures for an additional stopping of the operating lever in its closed position which contributes to an increase of the anti-theft safety. The latching mechanism in accordance with the present invention consists of components that can be manufactured in a simple manner and has only a slight structural height.